Sovereign Wisdom: Generating Native American Philosophy from Indigenous Cultures (Critical Indigenous and American Indian Studies)

Cover
Contents
Preface: Some Stories
Introduction
	Goals
	Definition of Terms
	Charting Possible Paths
	Outline of Chapters
	The Problem of Tradition
	The Problem of Land
Chapter 1 Making It a Good Idea: Difficult but Necessary Problems in Generating Academic Native American Philosophy
	Three Sets of Problems
	Problems of Conquest
	Problems of Identity
	Problems of Translation
	Conclusion
Chapter 2 Generating Academic Native American Philosophy: A Method
	Intellectual Sovereignty
	Possible Methods
	Question of Sources
	The Method of Recurrent Themes
	Generative Statements, Questions, and Herds
	Addressing the Problems
Chapter 3 Is Questioning Everything Questionable?
	Introduction
	Philosophy as the Asking of Questions
	Native Intellectuals and Leaders Critique Questions
	Analysis, Like Questions, Is Nontraditional
	Contradiction: Indian Questioning
	Alternate Explanations
	The Question of Wisdom
Chapter 4 When God Was a Woman: Centering Women in Academic Native American Philosophy
	Introduction
	Centering Women
	The Rationale
	Traditional Centering of Women
	When God Was a Woman …
	Balance
	The Problem of Violence
	Whose Violent Tradition?
	Indigenous Feminisms
	Conclusion: The Creation of a Truly Critical Indigenous Philosophy
Chapter 5 Sovereign Thought: Generating Academic Native American Philosophy from Recurrent Themes: Land, Words, Interconnectedness
	Introduction
	RT1: The Importance of Land, Place and Space
		Land Is Important Because It Is a Source of Indian Identity
		Land Is Important Because It Is Sacred and Is the Source of Ceremony
		Land Is Important Because It Is the Source of Origin Stories
		Land and Responsibility
		Land as Source of Philosophy
		Land Is Important Because She Is Our Mother
	RT2: Importance of Words and Stories
		Stories and Storytelling Are Central to Native American Culture
		Stories Are Sources of Knowledge
		Stories Are Linked to Identity
		Stories Are Important Because They Are Linked to Land and Place
		Stories and Spoken Words Have Power
		Spoken Oaths, Treaties, and Sovereignty
		Superiority of the Oral Tradition
	RT3: Interconnectedness
		Interconnectedness Is Important Because We Are All Related
		Interconnectedness Is Important Because We Are All Interdependent
		Interconnectedness and Animals
		Interconnected Knowledges
		Ontological Intimacy
		Individuals and Responsibility
		Interrelatedness and Sovereignty
Chapter 6 Recurrent Themes: Aliveness, Balance, Respect, and Purpose
	RT4: The Aliveness of all Beings
		Energy, Spirit, Aliveness
		Aliveness, Choice, Agency, Wisdom
		Aliveness and Purpose
		Aliveness and Hierarchies of Being
		Aliveness and Co-creation
		RT5: The Importance of Respecting All Life
		Respecting the Earth
		Humans Respecting Animals and Plants
		Humans Respecting One Another
	RT6: The Importance of Balance and Reciprocity
		Balance and Harmony
		Balance and Reciprocity
		Ecologic Balance
		Balance Is Important for Health and Healing
		Balance between the Sexes
		Justice as Balance
		Modern Manifestations of Imbalance
	RT7: Purpose
		Knowing One’s Purpose Is Important for Living One’s Life
		Animals and Plants and Purpose
		Purpose Is Important for Ceremonies
		Purpose and Leadership Choices
		Purpose and Individual Responsibility
Chapter 7 Recurrent Themes: Knowledge, Responsibility, Humility, Mystery
	Introduction
	RT8: The Importance of Humility
		Humility Is Essential to Gaining Knowledge
		Humility Is Essential to Leadership
		Humility Is Important for Insuring Equality
		Humility Important for Ceremonies
		Humility and Interconnectedness
	RT9: The Importance of Mystery
		The Great Mystery and the Sacred
		Mystery, Humility, and Respect
		Mystery and Knowledge
		Women and Mystery
	RT10: Knowledge and Responsibility
		Knowledge Is Dangerous
		Knowledge Is Contextual
		Knowledge Is a Gift
		Knowledge and Relationships
		Knowledge and Animals
		Knowledge and Identity
Conclusion
	Part II: Categories of Thought
		Philosophy of Balance
		Philosophy of Story
		Philosophy of the Spoken Word (Orality?)
		Philosophy of Land
		Wisdom Studies
		Holistic Categories of Knowledge
		Acknowledgements
		Bibliography
		Index
Series Index